Beauty for ashes….

The scenes coming to us daily from Haiti are simply incomprehensible. They are stunning and heart wrenching. The pictures of pain and suffering, of desperate families who have lost loved ones and what few possessions they had, and, most difficult to see, displaced, newly orphaned children…
In the midst of unspeakable anguish, there are images of hope…one picture, especially, grabbed my attention and my heart. The picture was captured by free-lance photographer, Matthew McDermott, as the seven-year old boy, named Kiki, was pulled from the rubble after being trapped for seven days. As he emerged from the rubble, he lifted his arms, as if in praise, and smiled from ear to ear. You Tube refers to the picture as “the smile seen round the world!” The picture speaks volumes to me, and reminds me that, regardless of how desperate and hopeless the situation in Haiti appears, our sovereign God reveals in His word that a time of healing for all nations is coming. It is the reason Christ admonished His disciples to pray, “Thy kingdom come…”


Until that prayer is fulfilled, “the creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed…creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Romans 8:19-21). “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first” (I. Thess. 4:16). His foot will stand upon the Mount of Olives…”and the Lord will be King over all the earth.” “Thus the Lord my God will come, and all the saints with Him.” (Zechariah 14: 5, 9)

After the temptation in the wilderness, scripture records that Christ began preaching “the gospel (good news!) of the kingdom of God” (Mark 1:14). His first sermon is recorded in Luke 4, verse 18-19. He read from Isaiah 61, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from the darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor…” Jesus stopped in the middle of the sentence, closed the book and sat down. Imagine the scene….you could have heard a leaf drop, as all eyes were fixed on Him. He went on, “Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” By ending where He did, He showed that His work would be divided into two advents. In His first coming, Christ fulfilled the things mentioned in Isaiah 61:1-2. At His second coming, He will fulfill the things written in verses 2-3. . (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Bible Commentary, 21st edition).

The people of Haiti have a promise. God’s heart is breaking for them. Just as when Jesus saw the bitter sorrow of Mary because her brother, Lazarus, had died, He wept. Mary fell at His feet and said, “if you’d only been here, this would not have happened…” Some say, if God had been here this would not have happened! Jesus’ response was, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” Christ is coming again. In God’s perfect timing, the second part of Christ’s mission will be fulfilled. He will give “beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. And they shall rebuild the old ruins. They shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities…” (Is. 61:24). As His resurrected saints, all who are His at His coming will have a part in this massive restoration.

“Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him…His reward is with Him, and His work before Him (Isaiah 40:10). He will say then as He said to Lazarus, “Come forth!” and there will be smiles seen round the world and arms lifted up in praise.

Bubble Forth!

The holidays are behind us now. Most of the decorative lights that brightened our neighborhood have been turned off and taken down. All of the celebrations, in church, in the work place, at home, are now only memories. Temperatures have plummeted, and without the cheerful lights of the holiday season, the harsh reality of winter has settled in. I can remember sitting on a swing on a Christmas afternoon in West Texas when I was about ten years old thinking to myself, “is this all there is?” All the gifts had been opened. The anticipation was gone. What was there to look forward to? What was there to celebrate? I had received most of the toys I had wanted, but still felt empty. I didn’t understand it then, but God was already giving me a desire to seek Him.
I love celebrations. My dearest friends and I share a motto, “life is a special occasion!” We look for any little thing to celebrate….a snow day, a birthday, a trip to the beach, a sunrise, a sunset, finding a good parking place! But the underlying joy in all we celebrate is our awesome God. Alan D. Wright in his book , God Moments, states that “real joy is not the product of better circumstances or even more victories: it is the product of a heart that has chosen to celebrate God.” With Him, the anticipation never ends….” Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (I. Cor. 2:9). Psalm 145 is described as a song of God’s majesty and love. “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; His greatness is beyond our understanding. One generation shall praise your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. I will meditate on the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of your awesome acts, and I will declare your greatness. They shall utter (eagerly utter, bubble forth) the memory of your great goodness, and shall sing of your righteousness.” (v. 4-7).
A couple of weeks ago, we had the opportunity to have our seven year old grandson, Owen, stay with us for a couple of days. Proverbs 17:6 says “Children’s children are the crown of the aged.” We are blessed to have several such “crowns” (six in all), and they are such a joy I don’t even mind being regarded as “aged!” To say we enjoyed Owen would be an understatement. I loved watching “Papa” help him put together a wooden airplane and show him the wonder of a blood cell through the lens of a microscope. We explored exhibits at the local science center and shared the awe of the planetarium. I loved watching them pelt each other with snowballs while dodging a few myself. Owen’s playfulness was contagious, and definitely brought out the kid in Papa and me. Although he can sit through a movie (preferably about dinosaurs), when it is over, he is up and out….look for him in the nearest mud puddle or snow bank, or listen for rubber dinosaurs battling in a clash for survival. Owen is a living expression of joy and he delights us. His exuberance reminded me of a carbonated beverage opened for the first time….it just bubbled over!
We were blessed to have many of our family together on New Year’s Eve, all
gathered around the TV to watch the ball drop in New York City. I carefully opened a bottle of champagne. The cork popped and the happy beverage began to bubble forth. I thought about Psalm 145. The joy God gives really cannot be contained. “Rejoice in the Lord always..again I will say, rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4). Knowing God and His purpose for our lives is the real source of joy. Like exuberant children, may we “bubble forth” in celebration of His great goodness… Life is a special occasion!

Extreme Makeover

A family with limited means, sacrificing every comfort to meet the needs of a severely disabled child in a sub-standard house suddenly gets a knock on the door….Ty Pennington from ABC TV announces with unbridled enthusiasm that they have been selected to receive an “extreme makeover!” Thousands of volunteers turn out to help in what becomes an amazing community event. In only seven days, a new home is built from the ground up….not only constructed, but designed to meet very specific needs and interests. On the final day, the family is brought back to see their new home, hidden from their view by a large bus. Thousands of voices ring out with “move that bus!” and as the bus rolls away, the grateful recipients are overcome with emotion. I have never been able to watch this show without needing a box of kleenix. But it always leaves me inspired and grateful that, finally, there is something worth watching on TV!

It is wonderful to see a deserving family receive a gift, desperately needed, that is beyond anything they could have dreamed or imagined. They may have been at the end of their rope, so to speak….everyday life a struggle, but with no hope in sight. Then, an unanticipated act of love changed their lives. They experienced an “extreme makeover.” There is something in me….in all of us I think…that longs for renewal. I believe that longing is a God-given attribute. After all, our God is the originator of “extreme makeover!”

The story of man begins with a garden. God, the Master Gardner, planted a garden in Eden. He placed Adam in the garden and told him to “work it and take care of it” (Gen. 2:15). In the middle of the garden were two trees, the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve were free to eat from any tree in the garden (including the tree of life!) except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They disbelieved, disobeyed and sin entered the world, along with the first thorn bush! God gave them a choice….the same choice he gives to us: “…I have set before you life and death, blessing and curses…choose life….the Lord is your life” (Deut. 30:19-20). They chose poorly, as we all have at one time or another. Sin bore it’s ugly fruit… they tried to hide from God, they felt fear and shame for the first time, and when God confronted them, they blamed one another….Adam even blamed God, stating “the woman YOU put here with me…she gave it to me.” Eve was the first to claim, in essence, “the devil made me do it…” (Gen3:13). Their disobedience resulted in separation from God, as they were driven from the garden. But our all-wise, sovereign God already had a plan in place to redeem His beloved creation and restore mankind to relationship with Him.

There was another garden, the garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives, where Jesus was betrayed and arrested. There was another tree, hewn to form a cross. An incomprehensible act of love changed everything. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8) “The result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men” (Romans 5:18). Now we are offered the transforming gift of grace. “You were taught…to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new ….to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:22-24). “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). God has said to us, in so many places and so many ways, “congratulations….you have been chosen to receive an extreme makeover!”

There is another garden in our future. Revelation 21 and 22 describe a time when God will make everything new. John describes the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven to a new earth. God’s relationship with His creation will be completely restored. “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” There will be a river flowing from the throne of God “down the middle of the great street of the city.” And there will be another tree….on each side of the river, the tree of life, bearing life-giving fruit, and leaves for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be a curse on the land (Rev. 21, 22). “He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new!” (Rev. 21:5)

Revelation records that an angel carried John, in vision, to a high mountain to show him the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It was a spiritual “Move that bus!” moment….and John saw a city that shone with the very glory of God…its brilliance like a very precious jewel…” There was no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple….the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp…the nations will walk by its light…on no day will its gates ever be shut…” (Rev. 21). As I struggle to wrap my mind around this incredible picture, I am reminded of the song, “I Can Only Imagine.” “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (I. Cor. 2:9). Maybe another way to pray, “your kingdom come” might be….”We’re ready, Lord….move that bus!”

Living Water

The bus was full of college students sharing animated conversation and robust laughter. Excitement and anticipation managed to subdue any weariness from a day of travel following a weekend of hiking and exploring Yosemite National Park. With the soft light of twilight, voices became quieter, more subdued as the bus climbed a steep mountain pass. Reaching the summit and beginning a gradual descent into the valley below, silence enveloped the bus….a silence that was almost reverent. It is a sight I will never forget….a brilliant full moon shining down on Lake Tahoe on a clear, crisp fall evening. The vast lake shimmered with moonbeams, illuminating the night. I was awestruck…this was the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles, my freshman year in a Christian college that taught the holy days were relevant for our day. Lake Tahoe was one of several different festival locations, and the closest one for students on the California campus of Ambassador College. I had learned about the Holy Days years before, but this was my first opportunity to participate in a festival celebration. We stayed at Lake Tahoe for the entire seven day festival, attending services every day in Olympic Village with thousands of church members. I was 18 years old, and more than four decades later, it remains a treasured memory….mostly, I remember the feeling of joy…

What a sight it must have been in ancient Jerusalem, when pilgrims came from all over Israel to worship during the fall feasts, each carrying an offering of thankfulness to the Lord. At twilight, the hills around the city must have shimmered with lights of candles and lanterns as far as the eye could see. I could imagine those making the journey for the first time being filled with joy and anticipation. The Feast of Tabernacles was the culmination of the “Feasts of the Lord,” which began with Passover in the spring. It was the most joyful of all the festival celebrations. This feast reminded Israel, “on the one hand, of their dwelling in booths in the wilderness, while on the other hand, it pointed to the final harvest when Israel’s mission should be completed, and all nations gathered unto the Lord” (The Temple, Its Ministry and Services, pp 232-233, by Alfred Edersheim). The service in the temple (referred to as “Sukot”) looked backward in history, reminding the Israelites of their exodus from Egypt, and it looked forward in prophecy, to the fulfillment of the covenant promise given to Abraham of the time when “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen. 12:3). And to the time when “the survivors from all nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles” (Zech 14:16).

One of the most beautiful ceremonies of the ancient Festival of Tabernacles was the libation of water procession each morning. “The water was brought in a golden flask from the fountain of Siloam and poured by the officiating kohen (priest) into the basin near the altar. This was the most joyous of the temple ceremonies…..accompanied by a torchlight procession, dances, singing and chanting by the Levitical choir….it was a symbolic act performed in compliance with the prophetic verse, ‘With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation’ (Is. 12:3)’” (quoted from Jewish Worship, p. 204, by Abraham Millgram). Jesus was observing this festival in Jerusalem when He stood in the temple and gave perhaps the shortest and most encouraging sermon of all time…. “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:37).

While I do not believe observing the Feast of Tabernacles is a requirement for Christians today, I cannot help but believe that reflecting on the meaning of these days is of enormous value for Christians. When we pray “Thy kingdom come” we are praying for the fulfillment of these days …when the “earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Is. 11:9) Imagine a time when “the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert” (Is. 35). Christ will say, “To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life” (Rev. 21:3-6). This is a thirsty world….Your kingdom come, Lord!

Days of Awe

A little garden beside our house has yielded tomatoes, cucumbers, a variety of peppers, onions, two carrots and a few delightful herbs. I wrote my last blog about the lessons I learned about “preparing the soil” so the seed will take root and bear fruit, inspired by the fact that my previous attempts at gardening had not produced a single vegetable worth picking. Shortly after I wrote that blog, a “volunteer” tomato plant began to grow where we had not prepared the soil….in fact, the area is a four by four plot of gravel. Somehow a seed got dropped there, took root (in the most unlikely place) grew and grew and started to bear fruit. We gave it no special attention, but it soon got ours! The plant is huge now, and continues to provide more cherry tomatoes than we can pick in a day! Analogies about the Kingdom of God came flooding to mind. Jesus used many gardening stories to teach about His coming kingdom. My favorite is the parable of the mustard seed. “Though it is the smallest of all of your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches” (Matt. 13:31). God has begun a great work, a world-changing, universe encompassing work, in the smallest way….with you and me.

The Lord’s prayer, as recorded in Matthew 6, verses 9 – 13, is often quoted in our worship services. We pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven….” Isaiah foretells of a time when “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Is. 11:9). I have just returned from a weekend at the beach, and I can tell you that the waters cover the sea deeply and completely, as far as the eye can see! But when will this wonderful prophecy be a reality?

We are entering a festival season referred to by Jews as the “days of awe.” God’s kingdom calendar continues to unfold, revealing an awesome and perfect plan, abounding in mercy and grace. This coming Saturday, September 19th, is Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets. The trumpet that is blown in synagogues around the world on this day is the shofar, a special trumpet made from the horn of a ram. The story of Abraham and Isaac is recounted during the synagogue service. All are reminded that God provided the sacrifice that spared Isaac’s life. It was a ram caught by his horns in a thorn bush (reminiscent of the crown of thorns, but that’s a different blog!). The shofar is a symbol of deliverance. At the end of the church age, begun at Pentecost two thousand years ago, the trumpet will sound again, announcing deliverance to a desperate world. John records in Revelation 11:15, “The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven which said, ‘the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign for ever and ever.’” Our Saviour is returning to this earth, fulfilling the promise recorded in Acts 1:11…”This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” Zechariah 14 describes His triumphant return in detail, “On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west….The Lord will be King over the whole earth…” Isaiah 11 gives an incredible preview of deliverance, “they will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah may have more to say about this event than any other book in the Bible. In chapter 2, Isaiah records this amazing prophecy: “In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many people will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths…..He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”
The Feast of Trumpets looks to the return of Christ as King of Kings. “How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth! He subdued nations…God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God, sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of the whole earth…God reigns over the nations…the kings of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.” (Ps 47). This event is so important to God, that Zechariah states He Himself will blow the trumpet…”The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet…..the Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of His people. They will sparkle in His land like jewels in a crown” (Zech. 9:14-16). “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God….” I Thess. 4:16. The trumpet call of God….what an awesome sound! And now…it all comes together, old and new testament….”unto us a child is born….and the government will be on His shoulders….of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end” (Is. 9:6-7). Truly…these are days of awe!

“…we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Gal. 6:9).

This summer, I was reminded that some of the biggest joys in life come in some of the smallest ways. For the past two or three years, I have tried to get a vegetable garden going in a little plot beside our house. It has really been a pathetic sight. Sprouts would look healthy and promising, even begin to bear fruit, only to wither and die. This year, I made that little plot more of a priority. Early in the spring, I added natural fertilizer to the soil and worked it in. I even started saving coffee grounds, because I heard they were good for a garden. One afternoon, after a morning of making fish prints with my students (using a real, previously frozen, fish), I buried the colorfully painted fish in my garden. When the seeds were planted, I took care to water them every day. Only someone who gardens can know the joy of seeing little sprouts come up for the first time. I found myself checking on them everyday, as if by watching them I could make them grow faster. Zealously, I removed weeds as they popped up to compete with the fledgling vegetables. Growth was slow at first, and then the plants virtually exploded with fruit. While most of it is still maturing at this stage, we did find the most beautiful cucumber! It was absolutely perfect (in our eyes!), and we started thinking of ways to enjoy it….maybe a cucumber sandwich, or a zingy cucumber salad….or maybe just savor it raw. But as we admired it, a better idea came to mind. Deciding we could honor God with our "firstfruits," we gave it to a neighbor who is a retired pastor, a faithful servant of God for decades. He's probably never been given a cucumber by a neighbor, and it made him smile. Hope he knows....that's not just any cucumber!

God uses the concept of gardening throughout His word. It is fitting that just after His resurrection, the women who went to the tomb mistook Jesus for a gardener. He is, in fact, the Master Gardener. He planted a garden in Eden, unparalled in beauty, where the tree of life grew. God commanded Adam to work the garden and take care of it, and I think He put a little desire to garden in each of us….although it has taken a long time for me to recognize it in myself. Working in the soil, planting flowers or vegetables, makes many Biblical analogies come alive. My experience with our little plot has drawn me to the parable of the four soils in Matthew 13. The farmer went out to sow his seed. Some fell along the path, and the birds ate it. Some fell on rocky places, and sprang up quickly but had no root and died in the heat of the sun. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked the plants. But, thankfully, some fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. I have learned the hard way how important it is to prepare the soil, so that when the seed is planted it can take root and grow. I’ve been thinking about this lesson in regard to ministry and mission work. Surely God is telling us how important it is to "prepare the soil" so that when He plants the seed of His word, it will take root and grow. "Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground, for it is time to seek the Lord….” (Hosea 10:12). “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love…” (Eph. 3:17). Love is the common denominator, the fertilizer you might say, that allows God’s seed to take root. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Gal. 6:10). Love, expressed in good works, helps prepare the soil of hearts for God’s planting to take root. I could sow seeds in that little plot until the “cows come home,” but if I haven’t taken the time to get down on my knees and gently care for that soil, doing what I can to build it up, those seeds will likely never take root or produce lasting fruit.
God's garden is all around us....our children, grandchildren, extended family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, strangers. May God give us eyes to see the opportunities around us...we often don't need to look far. Some will have the opportunity to work in God's garden in faraway places...unlikely places, like a prison in Thailand, a remote village in Africa, and an orphanage in Romania. Wherever God puts us, may others see in us good works that will cause them to praise their Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16). May He use us to help nurture and prepare the soil of their hearts, by showering God’s love on them. The Master Gardner tells us, “whatever you do for one of the least of these….you do for me….” (Matt. 25:40).

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener….this is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15). What greater joy for anyone than bearing fruit for God’s Kingdom! What greater joy for the Master Gardner than seeing His seed take root and bear fruit, transforming lives! I think I’ll go check on those cucumbers….

Family Bonding

Determined to spend some quality family time together, my daughter, Melissa, her husband, Ray, and their two small children (really small, Sean, two, and Lily Kate, barely one) piled into their van early Sunday morning with nearly all of their household goods (or so it seemed) packed in the back. I should mention that my daughter is seven months pregnant Her husband (who works for Nascar) had arrived home at around 3 am after a Saturday night race, and was operating on very little sleep. Add to that mix the fact that it was raining Sunday morning. But nothing dampened their spirits. Having the next day off, they were determined to give their children some quality family time in the mountains of Tennessee. And although the weather was wet and miserable at home, the forecast was for sunny skies at Cades Cove, the campground destination. Undeterred, they drove through rain for the entire five hour trip. When they arrived at the campground, the rain let up just long enough for Ray to put up the tent. The last stake was barely secure in the ground when a massive thunderstorm rolled in. They huddled together in their little tent. Sean, with eyes big as saucers as the thunder boomed, nestled himself in his dad’s arms, and Lily Kate snuggled close to her mom. At that moment, though exhausted, hungry and wet, Melissa and Ray knew there was no place they’d rather be.
We lived in Iowa for eight years, while our kids were growing up. Usually, every winter, there would be at least one blizzard that would leave us snowed in for three or four days. During those times, we would huddle together in front of the fire, pop some popcorn and watch a movie together (if we still had power!). And, truly, there was no place I’d rather have been. In the summer, thunderstorms would roll in and create a light (and sound!) show that could last for hours….we would sit close together on our front porch swing, marveling at the wonder of it all, and savoring the warmth of family togetherness. With no distractions, no place to go and nothing else we could do, the unexpected joy of just being together would envelop us. Often, it is the unexpected challenges of life that give us these opportunities. The same is true spiritually. So many things can appear threatening in the storms of life. But sometimes, when we set aside the distractions to savor relationship with our Creator, we can find ourselves enveloped with the peaceful presence of God. There is no greater comfort or security than having our Father’s arms wrapped around us …”the eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deut. 33:27). There is no place I’d rather be….